On September 18, the European Union adopted its 19th sanctions package against Russia, intensifying restrictions on the country’s banking system and oil exports. The package, which includes more than 2,500 individuals and entities, specifically targets the so-called shadow fleet of tankers used to transport Russian crude. Energy giant Lukoil and its trading subsidiary Litasco are among the companies placed under new restrictions. The initiative to expand sanctions was strongly supported by Berlin and Paris, which urged the European Commission to include offshore companies involved in Russian oil exports.
Sikorski warns of shadow fleet’s ecological threat
In an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski stressed that revenue from Russian oil transported by poorly insured and aging tankers continues to finance Moscow’s war effort. He proposed that Germany and NATO establish a maritime control zone in the North Sea to monitor the passage of obsolete vessels entering the Baltic Sea. Sikorski warned that Russia’s reliance on outdated tankers could trigger an unprecedented ecological disaster.
As evidence, he recalled the December 2024 accident in the Azov-Black Sea basin, where two shadow fleet tankers, Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239, sank near the Kerch Strait, spilling more than 8,000 tons of fuel oil into the Black Sea. UN experts later confirmed that both vessels were river-class tankers not designed for open sea operations and operating under the supervision of Russian classification bodies.
Aging fleet and mounting risks
Russia continues to operate around 80 Volgoneft tankers, many built in the 1970s and never modernized. These vessels sail in the Mediterranean, Baltic, and Black Sea regions, posing severe risks to navigation and marine ecosystems. Environmental groups have linked more than 8,000 documented cases of environmental damage to Russian maritime activity since the invasion of Ukraine, with total estimated losses exceeding €85 billion. Of that, €14 billion in damages was attributed to the December oil spill in the Black Sea.
The UN Economic Commission for Europe in February 2025 emphasized the seriousness of the Volgoneft disaster and urged stronger international oversight of Russia’s shadow fleet. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) also highlighted the environmental threat in its January 2025 resolution, warning of elevated risks from obsolete Russian vessels.
Global response and new sanctions
The shadow fleet’s role in sanctions evasion has drawn increasing international criticism. In January 2025, New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade condemned Russia’s use of shadow tankers to finance military aggression, citing the significant environmental risks involved. Canada followed in June with sanctions against Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239, marking the first time ecological damage was formally linked to sanctions enforcement.
In September, the United Kingdom introduced fresh restrictions against Russia’s maritime network, blacklisting 70 vessels and 30 companies. London pledged to push for broader G7 and EU alignment, aiming to further curtail the shadow fleet’s operations and reduce Moscow’s oil revenues.